


Proof

by NikitaDreams



Category: Thor - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-01
Updated: 2014-01-01
Packaged: 2018-01-07 00:16:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1113209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikitaDreams/pseuds/NikitaDreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thor/Sif Fluff written for the Yuletide Warrior's Week prompt of "fluff". A sweet moment.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Proof

Quests were as important to a warrior as training. Quests were how you proved yourself, how you obtained legendary weapons or completed monumental tasks. Quests were how warriors made a name for themselves.

Even if that warrior happened to be Thor, son of Odin.

Perhaps he was even more desperate to prove himself because of this. To live up to the glory of his father’s name. After all, Odin had created Asgard itself, conquered legendary enemies, and the kingdom flourished under the wisdom of his rule.

As the eldest son, Thor knew he would one day be King. The thought excited him, but sometimes he realized the weight of such a responsibility.

What better way to prove himself than in glorious battle?

But with few battles these days that left quests.

This time, Thor and Loki, the Warrior’s Three and Sif had set out to recover the legendary sword Hrotti. Once said to be guarded by a dragon, now most accounts pointed to the cold mountainous reaches of Vanaheim, far outside the inhabited areas.

So that was where they found themselves, setting up camp together after their second day of hiking through the mountains and searching.

Though it was said Draugr and Wights lingered in the abandoned mines and caverns of these mountains today they’d encountered only some hungry old wolves. The pelts would be worth something, but they hadn’t even been particularly large wolves.

So of course, Thor was beginning to feel a bit down about the quest all together. And Loki was no help, taunting his brother with the thought they would return to their father empty-handed. With nothing to show.

His friends tried to lift his spirits, of course. When they set up camp for the night Volstagg started a boisterous round of song, and even Hogun had parted with one of his bottles of ale to share around the fire. They grilled up the stag they’d killed the day before, passing skewers of meat as Fandral and Loki wove tales to try and rival one another. Until Volstagg was doubled over and red-faced with laughter. Thor smiled, but he found he could not summon up the same joy they seemed to have.

How unlike him, it was. He was usually the first to smile, the first to laugh. Thor was the life of a party. And he never let much get him down.

But he was beginning to feel the frustration of his own lack of accomplishment. He wanted to be King. But he needed to be worthy of such an honor.

And even though he wielded Mjolnir, he had not seen enough battle to sate his desire to fight. He had not won any great wars, or led Asgard to victory. Those victories belonged to Odin, not Thor. He wanted the taste of them badly.

Perhaps it was because he had always succeeded in everything he set his mind to. He was a skilled warrior. He was strong. He was well-loved by his people. Thor had always been everything that Asgard could want in a Prince and future king. He stood out in ways his brother never had, excelled in all the things the Aesir held in high regard. A truly beloved Prince of Asgard. He had never failed at anything he’d set out to do.

And now he’d set his mind to prove himself. He would do it. Thor was nothing if not determined.

“I’m going to get some more firewood,” he said suddenly, standing up and walking off, his boots crunching in the snow.

They fell silent, looking after him for a moment, but Thor did not notice. Nor did he notice he’d been followed until he heard the soft shuffle of boots in snow when the soft whistling wind stilled. He turned his head to catch the shape of the Lady Sif standing behind him.

Her form was easy to identify to his eyes. Despite the fact that she held a more womanly shape than his other companions… she was not like any other woman. Dark of hair, her body protected by a layer of gleaming silver armor over leather and sturdy red cloth. Her arms were wrought with lean muscle, her pale eyes held quiet determination. She had worked hard to achieve all that she had, and against many odds. Against many naysayers.

It was true that he’d always supported her, always known she could do whatever she set her mind to, but it was Sif herself who’d done it.

And he was endlessly proud of her.

There was no one else he’d rather have at his side in battle.

And if he could admit it, silently to himself… he liked having her at his side for things other than battle. For her companionship and support. For her unending loyalty and her love.

He smiled at her, a little half-quirk of his lips, gaze questioning.

“You wish to help collect firewood?” he asked.

“I wish to hear your thoughts, my friend,” she said softly, stepping up to touch his arm.

He felt the warmth of her hand even through his cloak and armor, through the leather of her gloves.

“If the price for that is to collect firewood,” she continued. “Then so be it.”

Thor smiled at her again, a bit more genuine this time. “I would not mind your companionship. Though I must apologize for my mood. I suppose I am just frustrated.”

“At our quest,” she guessed with a nod. “We have seen no glorious battles… not even a skirmish. And we’ve still no sign of the sword we came seeking.”

“Yes,” he said with a sigh. “I fear I have taken us on a fruitless search for that which does not exist.”

She studied him a moment and Thor felt she saw more than anyone else who looked at him. Aside from, of course, his dear mother.

“Why did we come here, Thor?” Sif asked.

Surprised, he frowned at her. “To find Hrotti, of course,” he replied.

“But why?” she asked. “You have Mjolnir. The others… myself, even your brother; we have our own weapons suited just to us. We do not need this sword. It will just be another relic to display in the palace. Or something to lock away in your father’s vault.”

“Sif, you know as well as I do that a quest is not about only finding something that can be of use,” he said patiently.

“That is true,” she agreed. “A quest can have many purposes. So what is the one you’ve set before us?”

“It is…. I,” Thor scowled. “What do you mean what is the purpose? It is to prove ourselves.”

Sif smiled. “Prove ourselves to whom?”

“To everyone. To all of Asgard… to….” He fell silent.

“But we have already done that,” she told him. “The people love you as they do no other. They hold parties just because the golden Prince Thor asks for one. They come to the tournaments just to watch you fight against a dozen warriors on your own. They gather in the mead halls to listen to Volstagg’s stories for hours, to drink with Hogun, or join the horde of ladies around Fandral.”

Sif shook her head. “We’ve no one in Asgard to prove ourselves to. We are the most regarded warriors there. Most especially you.” She reached out to take his hand with her own, giving it a squeeze. “So who is it that you are trying to prove yourself to, Thor?”

He blinked at her, feeling confused, then deflated. “I… don’t know,” he admitted.

“Maybe that’s because you’re trying to prove something to yourself,” she suggested.

Thor looked at her, then down at her hand in his. It was amazing that there was such strength in it, but it still seemed so small nestled against his palm, fingers intertwined. His heart warmed and he lifted his gaze back to hers.

“You knew that all along didn’t you?”

She smiled. “Perhaps.”

“Then why did you come?” he asked.

“I came for you,” she said simply.

Thor reached out with his free hand to trace the line of her jaw, fingers tangling in the dark strands of her hair. Sif smiled up at him, the starlight above bathing her in a cool glow. She was beautiful.

When had she ceased simply being a dear friend and come to mean more to him? He couldn’t say, but he felt it keenly now. And suddenly proving himself to anyone didn’t seem to matter all that much. Unless it was to prove himself to her.

But she’d come here to tell him he didn’t need to prove himself to anyone. And she was holding his hand and smiling at him under the moonlight.

So Thor did the only thing that mattered.

He kissed her.


End file.
